duffield



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. W. DUFFIBLD.

ORE GONGENTRATOR. y

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` P. W. DUFFIELD.

ORB GONGBNTRATOR.

No. 275,809. Patented Apr. 17,1883.

Nima' STATES' ATENT f-Ofrrrcn.

ORE'CONCENTRATR.

ySPECIFIC.A'IIO.|\.I forming part of Letters Patent No. 2758C9, dated. April 17, .1883. 'i Application nien october 12. isez. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, PATRICIO W. DUFFIELD, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain`,resid ing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Concentrators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to the class of machines. which are used for the purpose ot' treating ore as it comes from the crusher mixed with the water, so as to separate the mineral portion from the tailings or waste. Heretofore the best machines which have been used for this purpose consisted of an inclined endless revolving belt mounted upon a reciprocating frame. This frame was connected with a crank in such a manner as to be caused to reciprocate in a horizontal plane with a regular uniform motion. In s'ome machines this reciprocation was in the direction of the travel ofthe belt; in others it was at right angles to the travel ot the belt. The object ot' both directions ot' reciprocation was the same-namely, to cause the heavier particles of mineral to settle upon the surface of the belt and cling thereto,while the lighter particles remain suspended in the water with which the ore was mixed when it was discharged onto the belt. This condition of affairs caused'the mineral portion clinging to the belt to be carried up the incline by the motion of the belt. Extending across over the belt, at a position nearer its upper end than the place-where the crushed ore was discharged onto the belt, was a pipe or other device for distributing water,which water was discharged from the pipe in small jets, so as to fall upon the mineral as it was carried up by the belt and give it a iinal washing, so as to cleanse it from any Waste which might still cling to it. This perforated water-distributer has heretofore been attached to the frame of the machine', so that it did not move in unison with the reciprocations of the belt, and thus some of the material received but little washing, as it was carried under the water at a double speed, resulting from the motion of the belt and the motion of theframe when moving in the direction in which the belt was moving,while other parts of the material were carried under the jets of water a second time by the backward motion of thefrrnmand thus received adouble washing.y This'y re'sultedin a great waste oi' water, because it was l necessary to discharge sufticient'water through the jets to allow of the thorough washing of the material when it 'was passing at its highest speed, which was much more water than was required when the back movement ofthe frame was taking place and the materials passing slowly under the jets or being subjected to the double washing. Machines ot a 'different class have been proposed in which reciprocating frames were elnployed in combination with water-distributing pipes moving with said frames; but in this case the movement of the material under the water depended upon the jerking motion im parted to the frame, and consequently, as in the machines previously referred to, there was a great difference in the speed with which some ofthe matelial passed underthe jets, and unless an inordinate amount of water was employed much of the material was insnliciently washed.

My improvement consists in a machine to overcome this waste ot' water incidental to these machines, whereby the material being washed is always carried under the water at a uniform speed. To this end I have combined a perforated water-distributer with the reciprocating frame of the belt, so that it shall follow all the motions of that frame and reciprocate in unison with the belt.

In the drawings I have shown a machine which contains my improvements.

Figure 1 represents a side view of my machine, and Fig. 2 represents an end view thereof.

From an outer stationary frame, a, is suspended, by adjustable links A, the shaking'- frame b, which supports the revolving belt B, ou which the concentration is effected. The belt is made of rubber or canvas, with raised edges or flanges b" along the sides to prevent sand or water flowing ott' sidewise, and is supported in an inclined position, so that the materials are fed on nea-r the upper end, and the tailings or waste flow down thelength ofthe belt and discharge at thelowerend,the minerals being discharged at the upper end. The shakin gframe is connected to a short crank-shaft, C,

IOC)

back into the mineral-tank.`

by which a regular horizontal reciprocating motion is communicated to the supported be`lt.

deposited. Thetightener-rollergservestokeep the tension of the belt -uniform and "to' raise it" as it leaves the water-tank, so that the portion' i tributer was attached to the stationary frame,

of the belt between the rollers g and d is'subowing olf ofthe lower end of thefbeltcan run mixed with the 'Water as it comes -from the crusher ows onto the beltfrom thedistribnter h, as heretofore. The water-distributer i issecured' to the shaking-frame or to some other apparatus, whereby it is caused to move in unison with the shaking or reciprocationg motion of the belt. It consists of a pipe extending transversely across above/the belt, and provided with perforations alongitslength for distributing water. ciprocating frame, as shown in the drawings, water may be conducted to itfrom a stationary pipe through a exible con necting-piece, 7', as shown.

The operation ofthe machine is as follows: The crushed ore and water owing from the distributer are dropped evenly across the wid th of the belt and How down the incline, subject to the regular shaking motion imparted by the shaft and connections. tends to settle the heavier particles of mineral onto the surface of the belt, to which they cling, while the lighter particles of waste rock tiow down, suspended in the water. The f'or- 1 ward slow travel ot' the belt ybrings up the settled particles of mineral continuously until thejets of water from the shaking water-distributer are met with. Here the final separation of mineral and waste rock is effected, for the jets of water wash back the light particles and allow the clean heavy mineral to pass onward. 4From this point the mineral passes The crushed ore- When attached to the re- This shaking motion around the roller 'and clings to thebelt until itis carried into the mineral-tank, 'when it is washed o' and'deposited'. v

In the drawings, Ihave shown my improvement applied to a machine in which the reciprocatin g or shakin g motion is communicated tothebe'lt inthe direction of the travel of the belt 5 but by attaching the water-distributer to the frame in the same manner my improvevment may be applied to machines of the same class in which the shaking or reciprocating motion is applied to the belt in a direction at 'right augleswithl the-travel of the belt.'

In the old machines, where the waterdisthe effect ot' the reciprocation of the belt was ,to-constantly change the point ot'A impact ot' thewatrjets o'n the ascending mineral, ne-

sepai'fationlot' .the sand and mineral, and lso causing a greater loss of the tine particles of' 1 the latter, which were carried oli' down the belt in the excess of water.

With my improvement the watendistrlbuterVv reciprocates in unison with' the belt and delivers the jets ot water always at the same relative -point on thebelt at every portion ot' the reciprocating stroke, and by this means every jportion of the mineral is kept for the-same length ot time .under thewater-jetsand anniform delivery of mineral past the jotsby `the forward travel otv the belt is caused at every portion ofthe reciprocating stroke, and as a consequence the use ofless water and a 'corresponding` diminution ot' the loss of tine matc-- rial in the operation is produced.

. l am aware that it is not new to make a 'wa-4 ter-distributer move in unison with a reciprocating bed; but such apparatus as heretofore made had no endless belt for carrying the ore.

belt, substantially as fdc; 

